Let’s focus on economy: Kereke

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter Bikita West parliamentary representative Dr Munyaradzi Kereke last week urged Zimbabweans to exert their efforts on economic development, saying continued squabbles across the political divide were diverting people’s attention. Dr Kereke said this while contributing to debate on President Mugabe’s address during the opening of the Third Session of the Eighth Parliament recently.

“If we need to recover as a nation, we need political maturity,” he said. “2018 (elections) is far from the horizon and it is time we work towards reviving our economy. There is growing political sterility through political infighting across the board. Let’s urge our constituencies that let’s focus on production instead of political infighting.”

Dr Kereke commended President Mugabe for his stance against corruption, but bemoaned the failure by law enforcement agents to deal with the crime decisively. “His Excellency has spoken on a number of times that let us fight corruption,” he said. “We do have robust laws to deal with corruption, we do have institutions created to fight corruption. Why are the institutions not fighting corruption? It is a call that we need to make for the institutions to account.”

Dr Kereke called on the executive to expedite the crafting of Bills so that Parliament can carry out its legislative function effectively. He said the previous sessions had seen Parliament passing few Bills because of failure by the Executive to bring them for debate.

Dr Kereke said it was time that Zimbabweans be honest on the situation in the country so that correct policies would be adopted. Contributing to the same debate Bulawayo South representative Mr Eddie Cross welcomed President Mugabe’s speech, saying his agenda, if implemented would create an enabling business environment.

“I was pleased to hear the President speak of amending the Zimbabwe Investment Authority Act so that we have a one-stop investment centre,” he said. “Once this investment centre is in place foreign investors will find that Zimbabwe will be easy to deal with.”

Mr Cross welcomed proposals to decentralise procurement from the State Procurement Board to procuring entities, saying this would reduce delays in procurement and investment and curb corruption. He said the setting up of Special Economic Zones would also enhance the country’s ability to attract investment.